Cam Skattebo says ankle is OK after Fanatics Fest backflip spill
The Giants running back said bouncy floors caused the viral fall and vowed he will not hurt himself before the season.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Cam Skattebo tried to give Fanatics Fest a little extra show and ended up giving Giants fans a brief scare.
The New York Giants running back said Sunday that he is “perfectly fine” after a backflip attempt went wrong during a Saturday appearance at Fanatics Fest, ESPN reported. Video from the event showed Skattebo failing to land the flip and falling to the floor, with ESPN reporting that he appeared to come down awkwardly on his surgically repaired right ankle.
Skattebo addressed the moment during another Fanatics Fest appearance Sunday. According to ESPN, he called it the “elephant in the room,” said he was good after the fall and told fans he would “not hurt myself before the season.”
He also blamed the misfire on the floor, which he described as “bouncy,” ESPN reported.
A viral scare before camp
The concern around Skattebo’s landing comes from his rookie-season injury. ESPN reported that his first NFL season ended early after he suffered an open tibia fracture and a right ankle dislocation during a Week 8 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Skattebo missed the rest of that season after the injury, but ESPN reported that he has made significant progress in his recovery. He is expected to be a full participant when the Giants open training camp next month, according to ESPN.
The backflip is part of Skattebo’s act, and he has shown it off recently without incident. ESPN reported that he landed one after hitting a home run during a celebrity softball game on May 30.
That history also had already caught the attention of the Giants’ new head coach. ESPN reported last month that John Harbaugh joked he had told Skattebo “no backflips” at minicamp.
The Fanatics Fest clip quickly spread online after Saturday’s fall, but Skattebo said the attention will not make him dial back his personality. ESPN reported that he said he would keep being himself despite criticism from people reacting to the video.
“I’m just gonna keep being me, and if they wanna say I’m braindead, and I don’t have no brain, then who cares, f--- it,” Skattebo said, according to ESPN.
For now, the key update for the Giants is the one Skattebo delivered himself: he says the ankle is fine, and his training camp track has not changed based on ESPN’s report.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.